A buddy just took delivery of a Pro Formula Mazda & we are having a hard time coming up with a paint scheme. We heard of a company that specializes in this out of Houston does anyone know of them or some one like them?

 

Sorry, I don't know about the co. you're loooking for, but i had a hard time figuring out mine the first time, so I took some masking tape and started laying out lines here & there on the car to get an idea what kind of angles and shapes looked good on the car, some of my ideas were good, some bad, but I could really see it with the tape. I finally found something I liked, and when I painted it, it looked great.

 

Custom paint is cool. I like to use vinyl graphics in case of an accident, then you can r&r the damaged panels,repaint them and have the graphics reprinted and shipped quickly. There are alot of graphic designer/printers around, mine just used a photo of my car - overlaid design schemes on the computer and emailed them to me. We went back and forth a few times making changes and it was done.

 

If you need some ideas here is a great resource:

http://www.esbgdesign.com/index.htm

This guy does the graphics for several GrandAM, Lemans, IRL, and other cars. Go to his portfolio - there are a ton of pictures.

 

wow! those are some awesome designs. are those all real race cars? cause i've been skimming through them and the count is well over 60 cars so far! he must paint half the field at every grand am race!

 

A little fine line tape along with a vision goes a long way. Vynil graphics have come a long way. It is a race car, and that it different from show paint whereby quality paint schemes utilize many many colors and clear coat and the lines can not be felt.

I like that link and maybe CJ can post link too.

Regards,

 

Take a look at vinyl color samples and then the paint shop can match the ones you choose. That is what I do. Combo vinyl and paint on a car enables you to make any design you want.

For first-timers (who most likely can't afford a wonderful designer as per that site link), I recommend contrasting colors (one light/one dark), following the body lines and shying away from crossing odd angles or joints with busy or small shapes.

I cut out shapes out of paper and tape them to the car. Being a designer, I can then make the shapes on the computer, print them out and tape those on the car. (Those with real-life templates have it made in the shade.) You do have to patient and may have do some parts over.

I have been known to design a car or two, although the paint shop and the vinyl shop are the real wizards and, even with computers, it is best that all of the trio needed are local!

Yes the vinyl does protect from contact!
PM

 

Thanks for the tips but, we want to go all paint if we can. We spoke the guys at ESB Design & the cost is reasonable. We are running Sebring, Houston, Montreal & Road Atlanta with the Pro Mazda series next year so the car has to stand out so we can get some TV time.

We just found somone that can paint carbon fibre so thats a plus.

BTW here is a pic of the car in raw carbon.

 

Wow.... you got that at Walmart? Our Walmart only has go karts....

 

Sled, he's only taking it there for an oil change Very neat car........